The Cardinals went to Rochester with one goal in mind: grab the title they nearly earned last year. During the 2011 RIT Invitational, and the year prior in 2010, the Cardinals ended the tournament trailing in overall points, only being able to produce second-place finishes. This weekend, the squad traveled north preparing for some inspired wrestling. The team was searching for tangible evidence and hardware to show New England it is a force to be reckoned with.
The old adage that every person did their part may serve as cliché, yet it also holds much truth. Zach Larabee ’15 summed up the match.
“Everyone did great and is stepping up early on,” he said. “The freshmen are doing beyond great, the seniors are leading phenomenally, and I think this is a special year for us.”
The star on the day undoubtedly was 141-pounder Nick Scotto ’13. The senior captain garnered a 4-0 record in the weight class on his way to capturing an individual title. Scotto was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the RIT Invitational after pinning his first three opponents and earning an 11-3 victory in the championship.
Particularly inspiring was Scotto’s reaction to his individual title. After winning the 11-3 decision, the captain ran off the mat overtly frustrated with his performance.
“I didn’t do as well as I wanted,” he said. “I wanted to pin my way through.”
To underclassmen like Larabee, the moment from the senior leader did not go unnoticed.
“This epitomizes our team, I feel,” he said. “We walk off the mat with our heads held high, win or loss. That’s the secret to this team, we’re never satisfied”.
Scotto’s performance certainly was not the only highlight on the day for the Cardinals. Josh Roometua ’16 took the title in 197-pound division with a 4-0 record. In the same division, John San Filippo ’16 took a fifth-place finish in his first match coming off of the football season. Two other grapplers also went undefeated and took home individual titles at the Invitational. Seniors Kyle Roosa ’13 at 174 and Jefferson Ajayi ’13 at 184 won en route to 152 total team points. The Cardinals edged second-place John Carroll, who had 138 points.
Of the 18 wrestlers sent to the RIT Invitational, eight members earned the status of placewinners. The team accomplished its goal, and in the process let the rest of New England know that the Wesleyan wrestling program is still as dominant as ever. The team will begin dual matches as its schedule presses on, hosting a tri-match on Saturday, Dec. 8 against Wilkes and RIC.